Automobile mowing-machine.



- No. vemma.v

Patented Apr.`22, |902;v G. H. ELLIS.& J. F. STEWARD. AUTOMOBILE mowmr;IMACHINE (No Model.)

(Application filed Jun. Il, 190l.\

/INI/ENTo/es .llllyllllL Wim/5535s.

Y lPaltentedvAprfZZ, |902. G H. ELLIS & J. F. STEWRD'. I

AUTOMOBILE' MOWING MACHINE.

(Application led Jan. 11, 1901.)

' 5' Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 698,188. Patented Apr. 22, |902.

G. H. ELLIS .& J. F.' STEWARD. l

AUTOMDBlLE MOWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1901.)

5 sneetwsheet 3.

(No Molel.)

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WITNESSES:

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5 Sheets-Sheet 4.'

Illu.' IIIIIIII Patent'ed Apr. 22,1902.

(Application led Jan. 11, 1901.)'

G. H. ELLIS & J.'F. STEWARD.

AUTOMOBILE MOWING MACHINE.

` (No Model.)

/NVENToRs WITNESSES:

Patented Ap'r. 22, |4902.l

No. 69s,|8a.

a. H. ELLIS & .1. F. s-TEwAnn.

AUTOMOBILE MUWING'MAGHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 11,1901.) l

' 5 S'heetsv-Shest 5.

(N'n' Model.)

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IINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I-I. ELLIS vAND JOHN F. STEWARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE lVIOWlNG-NIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. `698,188, dated April22, 1902. Application filed January Il, 1901. Serial No. 42,895. '(Nomodel.)

To all whom. t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE H. ELLIsand JOHN F. STEWARD, of Chicago, inthe countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Au-` tomobile Mowing-Machines; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to automobile agricultural machines. We havepreferred showing and describing it as applied to an ordinarymowing-machine of a well-known type; but it is evident that it couldreadily be applied to a variety of machines.

The special object of our invention is to provide a motor attachment fora mowingmachine Which can be readily applied with but little adaptation,and, further, to provide a machine which when not used as a mower may betransformed into a tractionengine or an ordinary stationary engine tododuty in many ways, as required on a farm or elsewhere.

In thev drawings, Figure l is a stubble-side elevation of ourmowing-machine; Fig. 2, a plan View; Fig. 3, a grass-side elevation insection; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are details.

A is the mower-frame, and through the sleeve-like portion ct the axle bpasses.

B and B are the main supporting and driving wheels. The main Wheel Bissecured directly to the axle b, and upon the axle and secured thereto isthe bevel-gear b. (Shown in section in Fig. 4.) The main wheel B ismounted loosely upon the axle b and adapted to turn thereon, but isrigid with the bevelgear b2, the hub of the bevelgear being adapted tointermesh with the spokes of the main Wheel B for the purpose. Revolvingloosely upon the axle is the spur-gear b3, provided with trunnions, uponwhich the pinions b4 and b4 operate, each meshing with the bevel-gearsZ) and b'. There may be three or four of these pinions, as required.This arrangement of the gearing may be considered, except in thematterof detail, as the ordinary differential gear used for the same purposeupon traction-engines and automobiles. The

I power from the engine is applied to the spurgear b3 by suitableconnecting-gearing, herein later described, and the supporting-wheelsthus caused to rotate. By use of this differential-gear arrangement justdescribed both supporting-wheels upon the driving-axlemay be madedriving-Wheels Without interfering with the steering of the machine. Thespurgear b3 with its bevel-pinions b4 are held in proper relation withthe bevel-gear b and the bevel-gear b2 in proper relation With thebevel-pinions b4 by means of their elongated hubs, which abut againstthe main drivingwheel B', as shown in Fig. 4, the hub of the lattersurrounding the former. then, that each main wheel has connected with itone of the bevel-gears-one through the instrumentality of the axle, towhich it and its bevel-gear'are keyed, and the other through theinstrumentality of the elongated hub of its bevel-gear, whichintermeshes with its spokes. 3

Upon the forward portion of the main frame is the strong stud a. To thisstud and to a corresponding one beneath the axle the coupling-frame A ispivoted. Upon the coupling-frame is the swivel a2, which is jointed tothe shoe a3 in the ordinary manner, and to the shoe is connected thecutting apparatus, as usual. As the cutting apparatus and minor detailsof controlling the same form no part of this'invention they need not bedescribed.

To that part of the frame where the drafttongue of a mowing-machine isusually attached is secured a strong gaspipe C by means of the casting Cat its rear end, which fits into the ordinary tongue-socket and is therebolted, as is the tongue of an ordinary mower. At-the front end of thesaid pipe 'is the casting C2, adapted to take the tiller-post CZ of thetiller-wheel D. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) These castings C and C2 servevalso to close the ends of the pipe C, which serves as the bed of theengine. Upon this strong pipe the motor-cylinders E and E are securedand placed one hundred and eighty degrees apart from preference. Thesecylinders are mainly of the ordinary form used in gas and oil enginesand will not be described in detail in this application, as thosedetails will form the subject-matter of an application to It is seen,

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be filed by George I-I. Ellis. Equidistant between the two cylinders isplaced the doublycranked shaft E2, mounted in suitable bearings. Theengine, like all of its type, is adapted to rotate in but one direction,and hence we have made such provision as will enable us to run ourmowing-machine forward or backward at will.

One of the important features of our machine is the use we make of thestrong gaspipe bed C of the engine. Itis divided into three parts.

c is the reservoir for gasolene and is filled through the opening c'.

c2 and c2 are exhaust-chambers that serve as mufliers.

c3 and c3 are the exhaust-pipes, which are screen-like in order to aidin muiiiing the exhaust.

cL and clare asbestos or other non-conducting disks so placed as toprevent as much as possible heat passing from the exhaust-chamber to theoil in the reservoir.

F is the carbureter, which may be of any kind, or in lieu thereof aspraying device may be used. It is connected with the pipes c5 andc5,which lead to the cylinders. The gasolene or other volatile oil usedpasses through the tubefand down through the needle-valves in thecarburetor when they are open and the atmosphere is drawn through thescreen f at each alternate stroke of each piston.

Upon the engine crank-shaft E2 is the bevelgear E3. Supported upon theshaft, as partly shown in section in Fig. 6 and in full in Figs. l and2, is the bracket e. This bracket serves as a support for thediagonally-placed shaft G at its upper end. The shaft at its lower endis supported in the bearing g upon the mower-frame. Upon the upper endof the shaft is the arrangement of gearing. (Best seen in section inFig. G.) The bevel-gearE3 is keyed or otherwise secured to theengineshaft. The shaft G is shown in Fig. 7. It will be seen that theshaft G is free to revolve in the bracket e and that the bevel-gears EALand E5 are adapted to revolve freely upon said shaft. The bevel-gearsare each formed with flanges e' and c2, the interior surfaces of whichare conical and smooth.

Upon the shaft G, adapted to slidea limited distance longitudinallytherewith, to which reference will be made later, are the disks G andG2, the peripheral surfaces of which correspond in their angle with theinterior surfaces of the iianges e and e2 on the bevelgears. In orderthat the disks G and G2 may be forced to rotate with the shaft G, thestrong keys g and g2 pass through the said shaft and the hubs of thesaid disks. The shaft G has a hole bored longitudinally in its center adesired distance to accommodate the rod g3, which is adapted to slidetherein. This rod is provided with keyways to receive the keys g and g2.These keys fit snugly the key'- ways in the rod g3 and the disks G andG2, thus .firmly securing thc two disks together.

The keyways g4 and g5 in the shaft G, however, are somewhat wider thanthe keys g and g2 received therein, thus allowing the longitudinalmovement of the disks G and G2, to which reference is made above. In theenlarged hub gG of the disk G2 is a groove into which a suitable forkmay pass for giving this longitudinal movement to the disk G2 andthrough the instrumentality of the rod g3 and the keys g and g2 givessimultaneous movement to the disk G'. It will be readily seen that withthe parts in the position shown ,in Fig. G if the grooved hub g be drawndown the friction-clutch formed by the disk G2 and the flange e2 on thebevel-gear E5 will be disengaged and the friction-clutch formed by thedisk G and the flange c' on the bevelgear E4 will be thrown int-oengagement. We do not limit ourselves to any particular form offriction-clutch, as any doubly-acting clutching device of similarconstruction may be used. It will be readily seen that by acting uponthe grooved hub gf either of the frictionclutches may be thrown intoengagement and the shaft thus be given a movement in whichever directionis required.

Mounted upon the frame of the mowingmachine upon the strong stud t isthe lever Il. Itis, in fact, a shaft; but so far as controlling theclutches is concerned it may be considered a lever pivoted upon thisstud 7i., that also supports the bevel-gear 7L. Passing from the lowerend of this lever forward and upward above the shaft G is the rod I,which terminates in a fork t', adapted to engage the groove in the hub gof the disk G2. In order to give wearing-surface, we have shown a ringt, placed in the groove and the fork just mentioned, adapted to engagetrunnions thereon. By movementof the lever Il (in this instance a shaft)either clutch maybe thrown into or out of engagement at will.

Upon the tiller-stem d is secured the arm d', and from said arm to awrist on the bevelgear 7i the connecting-rod h4 passes. Byro- IIO tationof this bevel-gear the filler-wheel D may be controlled. Upon the stud71. is the bracket h2, (shown in Fig. 8,) which when treating of theshaft ll as a lever for controlling the clutches may be considered asone part with it; but when treating of H a shaft it must be understoodthat it is free to revolve in the bracket 7b2. Secured to the upper endof the shaft Il, within easy reach of the operator, is the hand-wheel H.Upon the shaft H is the bevel-pinion h3, adapted to mesh with thebevel-gear 7L. It is plain that rotation of the shaft H in eitherdirection will cause the bevel-gear hl to rotate in a correspondingdirection,thus controlling the tillerwheel. Rocking the shaft upon thestud 7L it performs the office of a lever merely and as such controlsthe clutches.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 4, the means for transmitting power fromthe engine to the motor-wheels will be understood. Within the usualbearings of a mowing-machine of IIS vthe kind the crank-shaft J issupported.`

Upon the forward end of the crank-shaft is placed the bevel-gear j. Thisbevel-gear also serves as a crank-wheel. Upon it the usual wrist formoving the pitman and knife is placed. Upon the lower end of the shaft Gis secured the bevel-gear g7, which is adapted to mesh into thebevel-gear j on the crankshaft. Upon the rear end of the crank-shaft is'the bevel-pinion j', which meshes with the bevel-gear K, jonrnaled upona strong pin k, secured in the strong arm a4, which is as one piece withthe mower-frame. The bevel-gear K has as one piece with it thespur-pinion 7a2.

By means of a scroll-like cam d5 the longitudinal position of the strongpin k, and consequently the bevel-gear K, is regulated, and by saidlongitudinal movement the bevel-gear K is thrown out of mesh with thepinion j'. This means for throwing the gearing out of mesh is fullyshown and described in the patent. granted to John F. Steward, No.554,010, dated February 4, 1896, and need not be further described here.Suffice it to say that the lever Zc, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. y

2,) secured to the end of this pin, serves as a means for engaging anddisengaging the gear, and thus forms a substitute for a clutch, which,by the Way, may be used in its stead. We do not limit ourselves totheuse of this special form of clutch already given for connecting thetransmitting devices of the engine with the main supporting and tractionwheels. The spur-pinion k2 meshes with the gear b3 heretofore described.Itis readily seen that when the bevel-gear K and the bevel-pinion j arein mesh and the engine running the power of the engine applied throughthe crank-shank serves not only to move the cutting apparatus, but toimpart movement to the main supporting and driving wheels in eitherdirection.

Supported upon the main frame of the mowing-machine is the water-tank L.(Shown in dotted lines in Figs. l and 2.) One portion of it is madesufficiently high as to extend some distance above the cylinders. Fromthis tank extends the pipe Z, which may be traced from the bottom of thetank through the jackets of the cylinders and back to the top of thetank by referring to letters Z, Z, and Z. We have preferred showingvthismanner of cooling the cylinders; but it is evident that radiating finscould be used instead. Hence we do not limit ourselves to this exactconstruction.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while being self-propelled over the ground, a rotatable shaft, as J, connectingmechanism adapted to operate the parts required to perform the said workwhile passing over the ground, said shaft connected to thetraction-wheels by gearing adapted to permit the traction-wheels tooperate independently when either is under restraint caused by thesteering mechanism, a motor for said shaft, and aneansbetween the motorand shaft to cause the driving action of the motor upon said shaft to beeither forward or backward, all combined with `the steering mechanismsubstantially as described.

2. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, a rotatable shaft, as J, connectingmechanism adapted to operate the parts required to perform the said workwhile passing over the ground, said shaft connected to thetraction-wheels by differential gearing adapted to permit thetraction-wheels to operate independently when either is under restraintcaused by the steering mechanism, motor for said shaft, andmeans betweenthe motor and shaft to cause the driving action of the motor upon theshaft to be forward-or backward, all combined with the steeringmechanism substantially as described.

3. In a mowing or other vmachine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, a rotatable shaft, as J, connectingmechanism adapted to operate the parts required to perform the said workwhile passing over the ground, said shaft connected.v

to the traction-wheels by differential mechanism, and a clutchingmechanism interposed between the said shaft J and thedierentialmechanism whereby the propelling force may be disconnected from thetraction-Wheels, all combined substantially as described.

4. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground,`a rotatable shaft, as J ,-'said r shaftconnected by suitable gearing tothe ltraction-wheels and also adapted,by suitable IOO ros

connecting mechanism, to perform work while so traveling over theground, the combination therewith of a motor suitably geared to saidshaft whereby the motive power of saidmotor, through the instrumentalityof said shaft,

is transmitted, in part to the traction-wheels' and in part to thatportion of themoWing-machine adapted to perform the labor required whilepassing over the ground, the said mechanism for transmitting motion fromthe' motor to the said shaft consisting essentially of IIO means forconverting the single action of the motor into either a forward orbackward drive, substantially as described.

5. In a mowing or other machine adapted1 to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, a rotatable shaft, as J, saidl shaftconnected by suitable gearing to the traction-Wheels and also'adapted,by suitable connecting mechanism,to perform work while' so travelingover the ground, the combination" therewith of a motorsuitably geared tosaid shaft whereby themotivepower of said motor, through theinstrumentality of said shaft, is transmitted, in part to thetraction-wheels and in part to that portion of the mowing-machimeadapted to perform the labor required while passing over the ground, thesaid mechanism for transmitting motion from kthe niotor to the saidshaft consisting essentially of a reversibly-actin g clutchingmechanism, said clutching mechanism consisting of a gear on themotor-shaft, a shaft, as G, suitably geared to the shaft from whichpower is distributed to various working parts of the machine, and havingthe loosely-moving gears E4 and E5 thereon, and the friction-clutches G'and G2 for locking either of the said gears to the said shaft at will,substantially as described.

G. In an automobile mowing or other machine inain supporting andtraction wheels, framework for the working parts carried thereon, asupplemental supporting wheel, or wheels, as D, a :reach connecting theparts in which said wheels are supported, said reach forming at the sametime the bed of the engine and fuel-reservoir, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an automobile mowing or other machine main supporting and tractionwheels, framework for the workin g parts carried thereon, a supplementalsupporting wheel, or wheels, as D, a reach connecting the parts in whichsaid wheels are supported, said reach consisting of a tube forming thebed of the motor, a f nel-reservoir, and an exhaust chamber, orchambers, for the said motor, substantially as described.

8. In an automobile mowing or other machine main supporting and tractionwheels, framework for the working parts carried thereon, asupplementalsupporting wheel, or wheels, as D, a reach connecting theparts in which said wheels are supported, said reach consisting of atube forming an oil-reservoir and exhaust chamber, or chambers, andcasting closing the ends of the tube and constituting the ends of theexhaust-chambe1s,substantially as described.

9. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination of the main supportingand traction wheels, a framework for the working parts carried thereon,a supplemen tal supporting wheel or wheels, a reach comprising a tube,castings closing the ends of the tube and constituting the connectionbetween the tube and the parte in which the wheels are supported, anddividing-partitions in said tube forming a fuel-reservoir andexhaust-chambers, said tube also constituting the bed of the engine.

l0. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over lthe ground, the combination of a shaft, as J,having a gear connectionwith the traction-Wheels, an engine for drivingthe shaft J, a reversing-gear in the train of gears between the engineand the traction-wheels, a lever controlling said reversing-gear, aguidingwheel, and a connection between said wheel and the lever wherebythe latter may also control the wheel.

Il. In a mowing or other machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination of a shaft, as J, havinga gear connection With the traction-wheels, an engine for driving theshaft J, a reversing-gear between the engine-shaft and the shaft J, anoscillating lever controlling said reversing-geara guiding-wheel, a gearh/ having a wrist-pin connected by rod h4 with the guiding-wheel, and apinion h3 on the reversing-lever in mesh with the gear h', whereby theoscillation of the lever controls the reversing-gear, and the axialrotation of the lever controls the guiding-wheel.

I2. In a mowing-machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination with a one-way engine,the cutter crank-shaft, a reversing-gear connection between said shaftand the engine, and a driving-gear connection between the shaft and thetraction-wheels.

13. In a mowing-machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination with a one-way engine,the crank-shaft, a reversing-gear connection between said shaft and theengine, a counter-shaft in rear of the axle, a bevelwheel gearing with apinion on the rear end of the crank-shaft and having a spur-pinion k2rigid therewith, a driving-gear b3 operated by said pinion, bevel-wheelsh, b2, connected respectively to the two traction-wheels, and idlers194,114, connecting the be vel-wheels to the driving-gear.

I4. In a mowing-machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination of the cuttingapparatus, the cutter crank-shaft, an engine, having a gear connectionwith a driving-pinionyl on the front end of the shaft, and a wheelj' onthe rear end of the shaft for communicating power from the shaft.

l5. In a mowing-machine adapted to perform work while beingself-propelled over the ground, the combination of the main frame havinga tongue-socket, an axle and tractionwheels carried by said frame, anengine-bed tting in said socket at its rear end, a supporting-wheel forthe front end of the bed, and gearing between the engine andtractionwheels.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE H. ELLIS. JOI-IN F. S'FE\VARD. Witnesses:

Clins. M. CHAMBERS, WM. A. DREFFEIN.

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